Preliminary information
Before explaining to you how to turn windows xp into vista, I want to make some important clarifications: the Vista Transformation Pack edit system files and add applications to XP that serve to emulate some Vista functions (eg the sidebar on the desktop or the Start menu with built-in search). All this leads to an increase in the work done by RAM and CPU and, consequently, to a potential slowdown of older computers.
Another thing to keep in mind is that modifying the system files could lead to the maintenance of some "residue" of Vista (eg folder icons or some English items in the Start menu) even after uninstalling the Vista Transformation Pack .
In short, proceed only if you really intend to keep the look of Vista on your PC, if you don't use your computer for work and only if you have an XP installation CD at hand (as you may have to format XP in case of problems). I do not take any responsibility for any problems or slowdowns of the computer due to the installation of the Vista Transformation Pack, understood? If everything is clear to you, I would say proceed.
Before you begin: Create a restore point
As extensively pointed out above, Vista Transformation Pack modifies some system files. Before installing it on your PC, therefore, proceed to create a restore point which will help you, in case of need, to restore XP to the state it was in before the program was installed.
To create a restore point on Windows XP, click on the button Home located in the lower left corner of the screen and select items All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> System Restore give the menu check if you press.
In the window that appears on the screen, put the check mark next to the item Create a restore point, dopodiché pigia sul pulsnte NEXT, type il name you want to assign to the restore point in the appropriate text field and click the button first Crea and then Close to finish the procedure.
Turn XP into Vista
Now you can take action and transform Windows XP into Vista using Vista Transformation Pack. The first step you need to take is to download the program on your PC: then connect to this page of the Computer Bild site and click on the button first. Close the window (if necessary) and then on Download e start download.
A download complete, apri il zip package which contains the Vista Transformation Pack, extract the contents to a folder of your choice and run the executable Vista Transformation Pack 9.0.1.exe. In the window that appears on the screen, remove the check mark from the item Set Windows X's Live as default home page (to avoid changing the home page of your browser) and click on the button Next.
Then put the check mark next to the item I accept the terms in the license agreement to accept the Vista Transformation Pack terms of use and click on the button Next per due turn consecutive.
At this point, make sure the option is selected Install Vista Transformation Pack into the Windows OS (to preserve the ability to restore XP system files in case of removal of the program) and click on Next, then indicate if you are using a screen PM4:3 (option Normal screen) or a monitor PM16:9 (option Wide screen), leave the setting relative to DPI on the default value and presses on once again Next.
In the next window, select the item Express modeclick on your button Next, select all options except Hide shutdown / logoff buttons text for slim buttons (unless you want to hide the texts of the shutdown buttons in the Start menu) and go ahead again by clicking on Next.
Now you have to choose which customizations to apply to the desktop and which additional programs to install to replicate the look of Vista on XP, taking into account the fact that each additional program consumes more resources.
- Vistalize basic desktop theme components (cursors, sounds scheme, etc.), to use Vista cursors and sounds.
- Use TrueTransparency to emulate Aero glass border, to have windows with transparent edges. Requires at least a 2.0 GHz processor and at least 512MB of RAM.
- Use ViOrb to fill visual style's missing parts of start orb, to display the round Start button (requires at least 128MB of RAM).
- Use large icon size (48 pixels) with larger spacing, to display the larger icons on the desktop.
- Lclock, to have the Vista-style clock (requires at least 128MB of RAM).
- Visual Tooltip, to get the previews of the windows when you hover over the taskbar buttons (requires at least 512MB of RAM and a processor of at least 1.2GHz).
- Winflip, to have a Vista-style window selection menu (requires at least 512MB of RAM and a processor of at least 1.6GHz).
- Gavatx's Rainbar, to have the sidebar on the desktop (requires at least 256MB of RAM and a processor of at least 1.GHz).
- ViStart, to have a Vista-style Start menu (requires at least 256MB of RAM and a processor of at least 800MHz).
- ViSplore, to have the Vista-style Explorer (requires at least 512MB of RAM and a processor of at least 1.6GHz).
Once you have selected all the options of your interest, click on the button Next, Then Transform and wait for all the Transformation Pack files to be copied to your PC.
When setup is complete, click Finish, Then OK and the system will reboot. When you restart Windows, you should already notice the change in look for the login screen, icons and other desktop elements (e.g. the sidebar).
If your desktop background and taskbar are still XP-style, do this: start the control center of the Vista Transformation Pack by double clicking on its icon on the desktop (this is only necessary if the program has not already started automatically), click on the item Vistalize user account, make sure there is a check mark next to the item Visual style and click on the button Apply Vistalization.
In the window that opens, select Windows Aero from the menu Windows and buttonsclick on your button Apply and within a few seconds you will have the taskbar and windows in Vista style. Alternatively, if you prefer the "classic" one to the Aero theme (which does not simulate the transparent effect at the edges of the windows), select the item Windows Vista Basic give menu to tendin Windows and buttons rather than Windows Aero.
To change the desktop background, instead, select the tab desktop, select the background of your interest from those available (the default of Vista is called img24) and click your Apply to apply it.
Mission accomplished! You should now have a Windows Vista-style PC. From the Start menu (semi-transparent and with a search field in it) to the desktop icons, through the control panel and the Explorer, everything should be the same as the elegant system launched by Microsoft in 2007.
In case of problems, you can try to repair the installation of some system files by opening the control center of Vista Transformation Pack, clicking on the button Repair system files, placing the check mark next to the item Light processing (to restore only recently modified files) or next to the entry Full processing (to restore all files) and pressing the button Perform repairing.
Restore the look of Windows XP
In case of second thoughts, if you found Vista Transformation Pack too "heavy" or the look of Vista tired you after a few days, you can restore the look of Windows XP by uninstalling the program from your PC.
Then open the control center of the Vista Transformation Pack double clicking on its icon on the desktop, presses the button Remove Vista Transformation Pack located at the bottom right, put the check mark next to the item Backup system files click her cousin Perform uninstalling and then OK to restart the PC and complete the removal of the Transformation Pack.
When Windows starts again, click on the button OK to confirm using the XP default desktop theme and you should end up with the classic look of the old Microsoft system. If this is not the case and / or there are still remnants of the Vista Transformation Pack on the PC (e.g. some Vista-style icon or the desktop sidebar), use the restore point that you created at the beginning of the tutorial.
To restore Windows using the restore point you created at the beginning of the guide, click on the button Home select items All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> System Restore give the menu check if you press.
In the window that appears on the screen, put the check mark next to the item Restore your computer to a previous stateclick your NEXTselect il restore point of your interest and click again on NEXT to use it. The system will reboot once more and when you log back into Windows everything should be back in place.
How to turn Windows XP into Vista for free
